She lost her name. She lost her homeland. And in the end… she lost her son.Yet she never lost her will. History remembers conquerors, sultans, and battles. But hidden between empires lived a woman who fought for seventeen years — not with armies, but with letters, alliances, and a mother’s resolve. The series calls her Princess Rose. History remembers her as Çiçek Hatun. And the truth behind her life is far more painful than the screen can fully show.
Çiçek Hatun is one of the most debated women connected to the Ottoman dynasty.
Her origins are disputed across historical sources. Scholars have argued for centuries whether she was:
-
Serbian
-
Greek
-
Venetian
-
Turkish
-
Even French
What is more consistently accepted is this:
-
She was Christian by birth
-
She entered the Ottoman world at a young age
-
After converting to Islam, she took the name Çiçek Hatun (meaning The Flower Lady)
That name symbolized rebirth — and the death of her former life.
Was She a Princess, Captive, or Refugee?
This is where the story becomes complicated.
In Mehmed: Fetihler Sultanı, she arrives as Princess Rose:
-
A noble Christian woman
-
Secretly Bogomil
-
Forced to flee after protecting persecuted believers
It’s a dramatic and emotionally powerful portrayal.
But history is far less clear.
Most historical records do not confirm her as a royal princess. Instead, she appears in sources as a woman who entered the palace system and rose in status through motherhood.
Çiçek Hatun and Sultan Mehmed II
By 1457 or 1458, Çiçek Hatun became a concubine of Sultan Mehmed II.
Important clarification:
She was not recorded as a legal wife.
But she was chosen — and her position became historically significant.
In 1459, she gave birth to the child who would define her entire life:
Şehzade Cem (Prince Cem)
The Birth of Prince Cem: A Son Who Changed Everything
Cem was Mehmed II’s only son from Çiçek Hatun.
And she raised him in a palace full of silent dangers:
-
Older princes
-
Hidden rivalries
-
Political factions
-
Smiles that meant nothing
In Ottoman tradition, princes were trained to rule, not to live safely.
After the death of Cem’s elder half-brother in 1474, Cem was sent to govern Konya.
And Çiçek Hatun went with him.
She was not just a mother.
She became an advisor, protector, and political partner.
1481: Mehmed II Dies and the Empire Splits
In 1481, Sultan Mehmed II died.
And with his death, the empire fractured into a struggle that would haunt Ottoman politics for years:
Cem vs Bayezid II
Two brothers.
One empire.
Cem lost.
He was abandoned by tutors.
Betrayed by commanders.
Left exposed.
But one person remained with him.
His mother.
Çiçek Hatun’s Most Dangerous Move: Flight to Cairo
After Cem’s defeat, Çiçek Hatun fled with her son to Cairo, seeking protection from the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay.
This is one of the most remarkable parts of her story.
Because history records that among all those who deserted Cem, Çiçek Hatun remained his:
Most devoted ally
Not servant.
Not companion.
Ally.
That single word changes how we understand her role.
Rhodes, Betrayal, and the Knights of St. John
Cem tried once more to reclaim the throne.
He failed again.
In 1482, he fled to Rhodes — and into the hands of the Knights of St. John.
Their leader, Pierre d’Aubusson, pretended to help.
But instead, he sold Cem’s freedom.
Bayezid II paid.
Europe negotiated.
And Cem became something far worse than a prisoner:
A royal hostage
How Çiçek Hatun Fought for 17 Years
While Cem remained trapped in European hands, Çiçek Hatun fought in Cairo.
Not with swords.
With:
-
Letters
-
Influence
-
Money
-
Negotiation
-
Endless persistence
She believed promises she should not have believed.
And d’Aubusson exploited her hope — extorting enormous sums while never intending to release Cem.
Even the Ottoman intelligence network watched her closely.
Bayezid II understood something important:
This woman was dangerous.
Not because she had an army.
But because she refused to stop.
1495: Cem Dies in Naples
In 1495, Cem died in Naples.
Still a hostage.
Still a political threat.
Still unfinished.
His body returned home.
His mother never did.
1498: Çiçek Hatun Dies in Exile
Çiçek Hatun remained in Cairo for three more years.
Then, on 3 May 1498, she died of plague.
Buried far from:
-
Her son
-
Her homeland
-
The empire she fought for
Her ending was quiet.
But her struggle was not.
Princess Rose vs Çiçek Hatun: What the Series Changes
In Mehmed: Fetihler Sultanı, Princess Rose (played by Merve Üçer) is given:
-
Clear royal lineage
-
A Bogomil identity
-
A dramatic escape story
History is less certain.
But one truth survives both versions:
Her devotion
Whether princess or captive,
Rose or Çiçek,
fiction or fact…
She never stopped fighting for her son.
Why Çiçek Hatun Matters More Than People Realize
Çiçek Hatun was not powerful by title.
She had:
-
No throne
-
No army
-
No official crown
Yet she:
-
Terrified sultans
-
Forced European orders to negotiate
-
Kept a lost prince alive in politics long after his defeat
History often forgets women like her.
But empires felt her presence.
